102 (1) Passing Away as Humans (1)

Then the Blessed One took up a little bit of soil in his fingernail and addressed the Bhikkhus thus:

“What do you think, Bhikkhus, which is more: the little bit of soil in my fingernail or the great earth?”

“Venerable sir, the great earth is more. The little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is trifling. Compared to the great earth, the little bit of soil that the Blessed One has taken up in his fingernail is not calculable, does not bear comparison, does not amount even to a fraction.”

“So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn in hell. For what reason? Because, Bhikkhus, they have not seen the Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

“Therefore, Bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’… An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”

103 (2) Passing Away as Humans (2)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn in the animal realm.…”

104 (3) Passing Away as Humans (3)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn in the domain of ghosts.…”

105 (4)–107 (6) Passing Away as Humans (4–6)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn among the devas. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as human beings, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

108 (7)–110 (9) Passing Away as Devas (1–3)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn among the devas. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

111 (10)–113 (12) Passing Away as Devas (4–6)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away as devas, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

114 (13)–116 (15) Passing Away from Hell (1–3)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

117 (16)–119 (18) Passing Away from Hell (4–6)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn among the devas. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from hell, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

120 (19)–122 (21) Passing Away from the Animal Realm (1–3)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

123 (22)–125 (24) Passing Away from the Animal Realm (4–6)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn among the devas. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the animal realm, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

126 (25)–128 (27) Passing Away from the Domain of Ghosts (1 –3)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn among human beings. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn in hell … in the animal realm … in the domain of ghosts.…”

129 (28) Passing Away from the Domain of Ghosts (4)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn among the devas. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn in hell.”

130 (29) Passing Away from the Domain of Ghosts (5)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn among the devas. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn in the animal realm.”

131 (30) Passing Away from the Domain of Ghosts (6)

… “So too, Bhikkhus, those beings are few who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn among the devas. But those beings are more numerous who, when they pass away from the domain of ghosts, are reborn in the domain of ghosts. For what reason? Because they have not seen the Four Noble Truths. What four? The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.

“Therefore, Bhikkhus, an exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the origin of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the cessation of suffering.’ An exertion should be made to understand: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’”

This is what the Blessed One said. Elated, those Bhikkhus delighted in the Blessed One’s statement.